Predictions for SaaS and Clouds for 2010

Yes, this is the traditional year-end look at what lies ahead, but, of course, SaaS and Cloud Computing are anything but traditional.  Some of the trends and changes we're expecting to see:

• Much more SaaS and cloud usage across the entire range of users from consumers and small businesses to larger mid-market and large enterprise firms.  While small businesses and mid-market firms without significant IT resources will fine SaaS and Cloud Computing particularly welcoming -- requiring little skill or resources on their part and offering applications and resources that are welcoming (easy to implement and use), they will also find the growing set of offerings answer many of their computing needs.
• Larger firms will find that SaaS and Cloud Computing have become irresistible, not because they couldn't do the same thing (or nearly the same thing) internally, but because this is:

• A great way to add to resources at reasonable risk and cost
• A quicker path to implementation (and to adding revenue, reducing costs, better customer relations, or whatever you need to add to your current IT offerings)
• A way to allow users in your organization greater choices without adding as much additional work to IT's limited resources
• Again, more SaaS applications and Cloud Computing resources, but more focused on larger enterprises, from the application style, to the choice of private clouds to reduce risk, to the availability of enterprise-style support and service agreements.

•  A large number of new players will enter the cloud computing market, including large ISVs who want to have more control over how they offer applications to their users and manage that relationship.
• New platforms (think Chrome, regional cloud offerings) will appear, focused on particular communities.
• We'll start seeing vertical market clouds, designed to offer standard practices, regulations, and information to that vertical market, at a price, but providing much better community knowledge (anonymized).  This may not be a first mover success, but rather an early best offering success.  Like auctions, one big offering with many users is a lot better than multiple smaller ones.
• We will see more usage of Business to Consumer SaaS and Cloud offerings, with the opportunity to at the same time improve customer service and community interaction and cut costs.

Sounds busy?  We haven't even scratched the surface.  Over the next month or two we'll be posting about some new HOT categories, some interesting vendors, and anything else of interest that comes our way.  Improve the conversation by posting your comments and recommending topics for exploration.